It is important to know if the injury is complete or incomplete because the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale is currently the best known indicator of what to expect in recovery of function from injury.

See Resources
Understanding Spinal Cord Injury: Part 1 - The Body Before and After Injury (PDF) (en español)
This fact sheet is intended to be a starting point for understanding the normal functions of the spinal cord and how those functions might change after spinal cord injury. This and other fact sheets from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center provide useful health information that is based on research evidence and/or professional consensus and has been reviewed and approved by the SCI Model Systems editorial team of experts.

Understanding Spinal Cord Injury: Part 2 - Recovery and Rehabilitation (PDF) (en español)
Recovery and Rehabilitation is important to returning to functioning back to normal. There is no cure for SCI but you can learn the potential areas for improvement. This and other fact sheets from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center provide useful health information that is based on research evidence and/or professional consensus and has been reviewed and approved by the SCI Model Systems editorial team of experts.

Understanding Spinal Cord Injury: What you should know about spinal cord injury and recovery
This video uses simple language and images of real people who have sustained a spinal cord injury, as well as medical experts and advocates. Produced by Shepherd Center and KPKinteractive in collaboration with the American Trauma Society, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

Understanding Spinal Cord Impairments and Functional Goals
This 26 minute video offers a basic understanding of the normal function of the spinal cord and the impact of impairment at different types and levels of injury. In addition, functional goals are addressed for levels of impairment. This video 1 in an 11-part video series provided by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spinal Cord Injury Model System (UAB-SCIMS).

Spinal Cord Injury
A chapter from the Spinal Cord Injury Patient – Family Teaching Manual published by the Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley (RSCICDV) at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. Spanish